Herbs that heal

Medicinal herbs with the ability to fight disease and promote well-being are taking root in the province.

Story by Pam Brandt  •  Photograph by Curtis Trent

The idea of herbs as healers is not new. From China to India to the Canadian prairies, early humans recognized their dependence on nature in both health and illness. Indeed, many of our modern medicines owe their existence to the herbal lore of native peoples. Despite this long history, most Albertans today are more likely to think about herbs for flavouring their food than fighting a cold.

It's a mindset that is beginning to shift, led by aging baby boomers looking for new ways to prevent disease and stay healthy, says herbalist Robert Rogers, past chair of the Alberta Natural Health Agricultural Network and principal of Edmonton-based Earth Medicine Consulting. Rogers has been actively involved in expanding the province's capacity to produce medicinal herbs. In the 1990s, he identified several herbs suited to Alberta's growing conditions. Now some of these same herbs have taken root in the province. Roseroot, a plant used by Russian soldiers in Afghanistan to reduce stress and improve endurance, is one. After several years of crop trials, Alberta Agriculture distributed seedlings to 33 farmers in 2005 and hopes to have 160 hectares of the herb growing in the province by 2009.

AVAC Ltd. is a provincial organization with a strategy that includes looking at alternate crops like herbs that can create value in the agricultural industry and increase revenue for Alberta farmers. The organization was one of the investors in two local success stories: Edmonton's CV Technologies, maker of the ginseng-based Cold-fX and Remember-fX, and Calgary-based SemBioSys Genetics, a company that has developed a technology to produce, extract and purify insulin from the seed of genetically modified safflower plants at a scale and cost currently not possible.

More recently, AVAC has invested in research into the feasibility of growing chicory roots for processing into inulin. Inulin is used as a food ingredient in low-fat, calorie-reduced products and can also act as a natural sugar replacement for people with diabetes. Manjula Bandara is a research scientist and leader of the special crops program at Alberta Agriculture's Crop Diversification Centre South in Brooks. He heads up the chicory root production feasibility study, and is also leading research projects with fenugreek and rosemary.

Fenugreek, one of the oldest known medicinal plants, is a key ingredient in curry powder and is a herb with the potential to decrease blood sugar and cholesterol levels in humans and increase muscle growth and milk production in animals. The rosemary project is looking at ways to produce high-quality rosemary leaves that can be used to extract valuable antioxidants to use as natural food preservatives. These same antioxidants also help protect against free radicals that can damage cells and may accelerate the progression of cancer and age-related conditions. While the studies are still in progress, Bandara says the three herbs look promising as commercially viable crops for Alberta. "The more crop options we have, the less risk and more financial stability we offer growers because it lessens their dependency on grains and other traditional crops," he comments.

When it comes to medicinal herbs in Alberta, all three agree it is a young industry with a bright future. "We have ideal growing conditions for many medicinal herbs," says Robert Rogers. "The production of high quality medicinal herb products not only allows us to shine on the world market, it also provides Albertans with safe, effective natural products that promote health and well-being for both humans and animals."

Remedies from the Fields

Here are some other medicinal herbs with commercial promise currently being grown on an experimental basis in Alberta:

Maral root: Research indicates this herb may increase stamina and athletic performance. It also has unique sterones that may aid with livestock production.

Milk thistle: Clinical trials have shown the seed of this plant is an effective antioxidant that can be used to treat chronic liver diseases and protect the liver from toxic chemicals.

Astragalus: This herb, which grows well in dry, sandy soil, is one of the top herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. Research shows it strengthens immunity to disease and can be especially valuable for people with chronic health conditions.

Echinacea: Echinacea products are believed to stimulate the immune system, fighting viral and bacterial infections. The most common use of echinacea is to prevent and treat colds and the flu. While most research has been on Echinacea purpurea, recent clinical studies have shown that combining this variety with Echinacea angustifolia results in a higher-quality product that is more effective over a longer time.

Black cohosh: This herb has grown well in trials is Alberta and is backed by clinical trials involving tens of thousands of women for relief of hot flashes, insomnia and other symptoms associated with menopause.